


The Deaf Dragon

by profoundwattage



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Ableism, Ableist Language, Angst with a Happy Ending, Child Abuse, Deaf Character, Deaf Culture, Deaf!Zuko, F/M, Gen, Language Deprivation, Mai is a good girlfriend, Mai is secretly an interpreter, Ozai (Avatar) Being a Terrible Parent, Protective Azula (Avatar), Sign Language, Ursa (Avatar) is a Good Parent, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, Zuko was never banished, audism
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-02
Updated: 2020-06-03
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:28:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24511555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/profoundwattage/pseuds/profoundwattage
Summary: Torn between who his father wants him to be and who his mother encouraged him to embrace, Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation must choose his own destiny. While journeying to capture the Avatar, he'll come to realize the power to shape that destiny lies in his hands, in more ways than just fire bending
Relationships: Aang & Zuko (Avatar), Azula & Mai & Ty Lee, Azula & Mai & Ty Lee & Zuko, Azula & Mai (Avatar), Azula & Zuko (Avatar), Iroh & Zuko (Avatar), Katara & Zuko (Avatar), Mai/Zuko (Avatar), Ozai & Zuko (Avatar), Ozai/Ursa (Avatar), The Gaang & Zuko (Avatar), Toph Beifong & Zuko, Ursa & Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 20
Kudos: 219





	The Deaf Dragon

**Author's Note:**

> I'm a Deaf fan of ATLA and wanted to explore Deaf Culture, sign language and bending, the journey of Deafhood towards Deaf identity, and the abusive nature of language deprivation and audism through the lens of Zuko, his family, and his journey to capture the Avatar.
> 
> *Zuko is 16 and was never banished from an Agni Kai as his father kept him sheltered from the public sphere and royal duties

"Never _be ashamed of who you are, Zuko."_

The light of the morning sun shone through the windows in slivers, obstructed by curtains. However, some rays of light still were able to dance across the floor and hit the young man's face. It didn't wake him up though. He had already been awake for a few hours in bed just staring up at the ceiling. Gold irises grazed over every design and crevice carved above the bed. Zuko, the young prince of the Fire Nation, was lost in thoughts of the past, mostly thoughts of his mother.

~~~

_The small boy sat under the tree with his knees curled up to his chest. His face was buried in his legs as he silently sobbed. It wasn't until he felt a warm touch on his shoulder that he finally looked up. It was his mother, with kind eyes and a reassuring smile. She sat down next to him and wrapped an arm around the boy's shoulders, pulling him closer so he could continue crying on her shoulder. She said nothing as she allowed her son the time he needed to let out the tears he kept bottled up for quite some time now. After a few more minutes, the boy finally looked back up at his mother. She wiped away his tears and caressed his face in her palm._

_The boy lifted a hand and signed to his mother. "Why can't I be normal like you?"_

_The question broke the woman's heart. "You are normal, my sweet prince. You're normal because you're different. Just like me, your sister, and everyone else in the whole wide world." Her arm unwrapped from the boy's shoulders and her other hand released his face as she signed back. Their bodies were still close in comfort underneath the shade of luscious green leaves._

_The boy shook his head. "Then why won't anyone talk to me? Why can't anyone understand me?!" His arms were gesturing wider and quicker now as his sadness turned to anger. Powerful orange flames shot from his hands and dissipated in the sky as he signed. They nearly burned his mother, but the boy didn't notice and his mother didn't even flinch. She was used to anger. She was used to the destructive heat of fire. He stood up, looking over the small pond of turtleducks before kicking the water in frustration, scaring away all of them._

_The woman crawled on the grass and knelt on her knees behind the boy, wrapping her arms around his chest and pulling him in to a tight hug. "I will always be here to try and understand you." The arms around the boy danced in the air as they signed, as though they were his own arms._

_Ursa turned her son around to face her. "Your journey will be difficult. You'll feel alone and confused at times, but no matter what, never be ashamed of who you are, Zuko."_

_~~~_

Zuko's reminiscence was suddenly interrupted when the curtains flew open, the full force of the rising sun's rays hitting him square in the face. He lifted a hand to give his eyes some cover against the harsh light. It took a few seconds for his eyes to adjust, but he recognized the figure standing in his room. It was his Uncle Iroh. The curvature of his belly as well as the tea cup in his hand gave him away. His mouth began moving but no sound could be heard. Iroh's face went from a beaming smile to one of embarrassment as he realized his forgetfulness.

"Time...for...breakfast...?" Iroh knew some sign language though he was far from fluent, he did try his best. The way his eyebrow raised in uncertainty over whether he signed correctly, combined with his wide smile, made it hard for Zuko not to respond with a small smile of his own. He nodded his head, both as confirmation that the signs were right and that he understood. Sitting up and swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, Zuko stood up and stretched. He bowed to his Uncle and watched as he departed his room and down the hall.

His hair was a tousled mess, a stark difference from the ponytail he used to wear religiously a couple years ago. He slipped out of his pajamas and changed into more formal attire. Even though it was only a family breakfast in the dining hall of their home, his father insisted on dressing appropriately. Anything but would be a sign of disrespect. A few strands fell in front of his eyes as he changed clothes. A hand brushed them away, exposing the scar on the left side of his face. Tenderly, his fingers traced the scar gifted to him by his father all those years ago. His mind began to wander for a moment, but he snapped back to reality when he caught his Uncle waving his arms wildly out of the corner of his eye.

"Coming!" Zuko signed as he exited his room, closing the door behind him. He hurried down the hallway to catch up with his Uncle. Once he caught up with him, he slowed his pace to match. On their walk through the palace to the dining hall, nothing was said between them. Merely the comfort of the other's company was enough to fill the silence. Zuko appreciated his Uncle. He showed him compassion and understanding. He wasn't perfect all the time when it came to Zuko's deafness, but he tried his best to learn and show patience. That was one thing Zuko admired especially, his Uncle's patience towards him.

The two of them made their way outside through the garden. The birds were out in full view as they soared across the sky and chirped their greetings for the new dawn. Of course, to Zuko, everything was still silent. Yet with great silence, comes tremendous beauty. His eyes compensated for his lack of hearing as he took in just how alive everything looked. From the glistening pond, to the gentle breeze moving the grass back and forth, to the birds in full flight. They re-entered the palace and soon enough arrived outside the door of the dining hall.

Iroh took out a small notepad and wrote down a note. "I won't be able to join you as I have a meeting to attend, and your father wants this to just be a breakfast with his children so I'll respect that. If you need anything, you know where to find me." Uncle Iroh hugged Zuko once he read the note, smiling before he left Zuko alone at the door. Taking a deep breath, the young man entered the dining hall.

Zuko's father, Fire Lord Ozai was already seated at the head of the table, and his sister Azula was seated next to him. Neither had touched any of the dozen or so dishes assorted on the long table. Both had been waiting for Zuko.

"You're late." Ozai snarled as he picked up his utensils and began to cut away at his food, never even glancing in Zuko's direction. "Well? I want the apology to come from my son's mouth." Now Ozai looked up and glared at Zuko. "I'm waiting...Speak, child."

The whole time Zuko heard nothing. And even if his lip reading was perfect, his father was seated too far away for him to make out anything from his moving lips. Zuko knew something was said, he could tell by the rising tension in the room and the way both of them were staring at him. He gulped quietly and made his way to his chair, next to his father and across from Azula.

 **Bang!** A fist slammed down on the table, right in front of Zuko and nearly shattering his plate. The boy couldn't help but to flinch in his seat. Even Azula looked a tad uneasy. "Speak you insolent mute!" Ozai's voice rang out across the room. Zuko was silent, staring down at his plate with tears welling up in his eyes. All he could think of was another family breakfast they had, one from years ago when he was just a young boy.

~~~

_Ursa escorted Zuko down the hallway that led into the dining hall. But before they entered the room, Zuko tugged at his mother's sleeve. They stopped and she crouched down so she was eye-level with her son._

_"What is it, sweetie?" She spoke, only to be met with a wince on her sweet baby boy's face. He was wearing a new invention his father had commanded the finest engineers of the Fire Nation to make, a big clunky hearing-aid that rested around the back of his head and over his ears. It was akin to a metal box, like a miniature furnace. The entry point for the ignition was on the left side of his head._

_"My head hurts!" Zuko signed, clearly flustered. He even whimpered verbally. It was rare for him to make any sounds outside of the privacy of his own room. So she knew he was in pain._

_Ursa looked around to make sure they were alone, then she looked at Zuko and nodded in understanding. She carefully took off his hearing-aid and hugged him. "I'm sorry it hurts so much. You deserve a break." She signed before standing back up, taking Zuko's hand, and walking into the dining hall to sit down at the table._

_Ozai sat at the head of the dining hall table. One hand held a chalice while the other was resting on top of the hand of his wife, Ursa. Their children Zuko and Azula sat next to each other across from their mother. It looked like a snapshot of the perfect family gathered around the table. But of course a snapshot doesn't come close to telling the full story._

_Zuko's stomach wouldn't stop rumbling. For whatever reason this morning he was especially hungry and couldn't wait to take a bite out of the steaming hot noodle dish in front of him. The boy reached out towards the food, only to be met with a small blast of fire in the air above his hand. He immediately withdrew his arm and looked at his father._

_"Now, where are you manners, Prince Zuko? Ask for your food and you shall receive." Ozai stated with a small grin. Ursa looked at Zuko with a frown, afraid of what would happen. She knew her son couldn't hear since his hearing-aid was hidden underneath her seat._

_Ozai tilted his head as he set down his drink and removed his hand from Ursa's. His hands intertwined as he rested his chin on top, looking at his son quizzically. "Where the hell is your hearing-aid?" He looked at his wife. "Where the hell is our son's hearing-aid?"_

_"I-it was hurting him so I took it off. I-"_

_"You what?" Ozai eyed his wife, the anger boiling up inside him. "He can't even hear me! He's defective, broken, useless like this!"_

_"Ozai! Don't you dare call our son useless!" Ursa exclaimed, quick to defend her child._

_But before she could say anything else, Ozai slapped her across the face. "Don't_ **_you dare_ ** _talk to me in that manner!" He was about to land another blow when a ring of fire hurled towards his direction. Ozai dodged the flames, but the ends of his hair were singed._

 _"_ **_STOP!"_ ** _Zuko was standing up from his chair, his hands frozen in the sign for stop. The powerful blast had erupted at the moment he signed, as though fueled ever more by sign language._

_Ozai stood up, not caring that his chair fell back behind him. "So my son wants to gesticulate like a savage ape instead of speak? My son wants to defy his father and be a deafened mute? Then maybe it's time for a speech lesson that's long overdue!" His hand gripped Ursa's arm tightly, forcefully pulling her up from her chair. "Where's the fucking hearing-aid?" The words spat out in her face, but she stayed silent. "Like mother, like son, both dreadfully pathetic." Ursa was thrown onto the floor and her chair toppled over, revealing the metal hearing-aid on the floor. Ozai picked it up and stomped towards Zuko, grabbing his arm and pulling him into the adjourning kitchen._

_The hearing-aid was handed to Zuko, whose knees were trembling in fear as tears streamed down his face. "Enough with your crying and put the damn device on. You're going to hear me, and you're going to speak. If you're to ever be a worthy heir, you must not show weakness." Zuko slowly put the hearing-aid on, only for Ozai to roughly tighten the strap around his head a little too tightly. Zuko lit a tiny flame with his finger and ignited the device. It slowly began to rumble and the gears churned within as it turned on. The hearing was far from perfect as the grinding of gears was like background noise over everything else. And if he wanted to locate where sound was originating from? He couldn't tune anything out so that wouldn't be a possibility. But his father didn't know this. He merely saw the hearing-aid as a cure-all when it was anything but._

_"Now repeat after me, I will speak and wear my hearing-aid from here on out." Ozai over-enunciated, speaking loud and slow as though his son was an idiot._

_But all Zuko could muster through the tears was an apology. "S...so..sorrr...sorry, Fa..fath...er.." The tears streaming down the young boy's face dropped onto the floor at his feet. He didn't even know why he was apologizing, it was instinctual at this point._

_"Did you not just hear me? Maybe I need to turn up the volume on your hearing-aid!" And with that his own father sent an overwhelming blast of fire to the ignition point of his hearing-aid, overheating it and causing the device to blow up. This act would leave Zuko with a permanent scar on his face._

_"Maybe it's impossible for you not to show weakness." Ozai stared down at his own son crying in a pool of blood on the floor. Azula and Ursa rushed over from the dining hall and knelt down beside Zuko. "Your whole existence has been nothing but weakness from the day of your birth."_

_~~~_

"Father!" Azula began to protest, standing up from her chair with her hands on the table. But when Ozai turned his head quicker than one could blink, his seething rage glaring at her, she slowly sat back down and didn't say another word.

"I...I..'m..s..s..orry..." The words came out weakly and with an obvious slurred accent. The look on Ozai's face was one of disgust. His son sounded so obviously weak and pathetic. The apology was worth nothing to him in the way it was spoken. Zuko didn't know what was going on, but he had an inkling it had to do with him being nonverbal. He could very easily tell his father was enraged from his body language and facial expressions. Even without either, the fist slamming down on the table and sending chills down his spine was telling enough.

"Pitiful..." Ozai muttered under his breath. He began cutting up his food and eating, not saying another word.

Azula started to slowly eat, eyeing her brother. She knew he was unwell and she felt twisted up inside. But what could she do? Stand up to their father? That was tantamount to suicide. "Zuzu.." she whispered, reaching out a hand to her brother's. But as soon as her fingers touched his, he pulled his hand away and stood up.

Zuko left the room without warning. He was sure his father was yelling behind him, but he was deaf, and in that moment glad he was. Azula watched him walk away, frowning as her eyes softened.

There was only one person Zuko wanted to see right now. His girlfriend, Mai. The royal guards offered to give him a lift in the royal carriage, but he refused. He didn't want to be helped. He knew it was tradition for royalty to be carried around, but he always felt with him there was a slight stench of pity that always came with the offer. Zuko walked out of his home and down the streets. People were chatting and walking around. He could feel their stares on him. Nonetheless, the prince kept on walking until he made it to Mai's home.

He knocked on the door and watched as it swung open. There she was. The love of his life standing there in all her beauty. Her raven colored hair draped down her shoulders and her bangs were as straight as ever. She took his hand and pulled him inside, running upstairs to her room and closing the door behind them.

"Zuko.." She signed his sign name, looking deep into his eyes. Her other hand caressed his cheek as a small smile formed on both of their lips. "I thought you were having breakfast with your father?"

Zuko's eyes glanced away and down on the floor in shame. "I was..but I couldn't stand it. He was getting irritated and wanted me to speak again. So I...I ran. I was weak, just like I've always been."

"Hey...hey look at me." The hand on his cheek turned his head back to face her. "You're the strongest person I know." Her lips pressed against his as they kissed slowly and passionately. Once they pulled away, with faces still inches apart as they looked into the other's eyes, Zuko sighed.

"I don't know who I am, Mai." He took a step back and turned to face out the window, looking over the capital city.

Mai's arm wrapped around his waist as she stood next to him. "You're that same little boy I first fell in love with in the garden."

~~~

_Zuko and his mother sat on a blanket in their garden. They were accompanied by an older man. This man was to be Zuko's sign language teacher. Ozai had forbidden his son from learning the 'brutish gesticulation', but Ursa hired a teacher in secret. Fortunately, Ozai was away from home on business, giving them more freedom to learn. The teacher opened a book full of pictures such as tree, fire, a rock, water, a turtleduck, and more. He pointed to each one and signed the word to the young boy._

_Much to Ursa's surprise, Zuko was picking up on the signs rather quickly. Much more quickly than when he tried to learn speech. The smile that lit up the boy's face filled her heart with joy._

_"Mama." Zuko signed, hesitant at first but once the teacher nodded his head in confirmation, he signed it again with confidence. "Mama!"_

_"Yes, my son! I'm so proud of you!" She spoke as she was still in the process of learning how to sign herself. But the teacher interpreted what she said to Zuko._

_Across the garden Azula, Ty Lee, and Mai were playing tag. Mai, however, had stopped running and zoned out as she stared at Zuko and Ursa with the strange old man. All three of them were moving their hands, smiling, and laughing. She had no idea what was going on, but that didn't stop the butterflies from fluttering in her stomach at the sight of her crush being so happy._

_Her thoughts were immediately interrupted when Azula pushed her to the ground. "Tag! You're it!" She grinned victoriously, hands on her hips as she stood over Mai. "Don't get distracted, Mai!" The giggle that came from her lips grated Mai's ears._

_"What are they doing?" Mai asked, still sitting on the ground with her arms propping her up as she looked across the garden._

_Azula shrugged. "Sign language I think. Mom insists on Zuko learning it to communicate. But I don't know who is going to take the time to do that besides his Mommy." This elicited yet another small annoying giggle from her mouth._

_"I will." Mai responded, standing up and walking over._

_"Hey! We're in the middle of a game!" Ty Lee shouted._

_"Don't care. I quit." Mai approached Zuko and Ursa, bowing curtly before sitting down. "May I join you? I'd like to learn some signs."_

_"By all means, please do." Ursa replied with a kind smile._

_Zuko felt his cheeks blush as Mai sat down on the blanket next to him. Their knees were barely touching and that made Mai's cheeks blush bright red as well. The butterflies she felt in her stomach earlier were going in overtime now. The teacher started their shared lesson by teaching them the alphabet and how to introduce themselves._

_"Hi, my name's M-A-I.." She signed slowly, smiling as she looked in Zuko's direction._

_"Hi, M-A-I, I'm Z-U-K-O.." The boy signed back with a smile of his own._

_"How do I say, I know, it's a handsome name?" Mai verbally asked the teacher, who then showed her. "Thank you._

_"I know, it's a handsome name." She signed to Zuko, who at first didn't understand until she also wrote down what she said on a piece of paper. Once he read it and saw her sign it again, his cheeks turned to an even brighter shade of red._

_~~~_

"I haven't stopped learning since." Mai signed. "I wanted to be able to communicate with you. That Zuko, the one with so much light in his eyes as he signed freely to his heart's content, that's who you are. That's who I wanted to put my time and effort into getting to know." Her lip laid a soft kiss on his cheek.

"I love you." Zuko signed, which then ignited a small heart of fire in his hands as he did.

"I love you too."

Zuko was about to kiss her again on the lips when she turned her head away. At first he thought he did something wrong, but the angry look on her face as she stormed downstairs led him to assume they were interrupted by a knock at the door.

Mai swung open the front door with Zuko in tow. She was about ready to tell whoever it was off and that she was currently busy, but it was Azula and Ty Lee.

"Figured I'd find you here." Azula's eyes looked at Zuko. "Mai, interpret for me, please."

"I don't know what-"

"Oh, please Mai, I'm not an idiot. I know you've been teaching yourself sign language in secret for years so you can communicate with my brother. It's quite sweet, really. So please, interpret for me."

"Fine...what do you want?" Mai grumbled with her arms crossed.

"Brother, before you left Father wanted to share some news. The Avatar is alive." Mai signed what Azula was saying to Zuko. His eyes widened at the shocking revelation.

"Where is he?" Zuko signed. Mai started to interpret, but was cut off by Azula.

"Where is he?" Azula repeated to the surprise of Ty Lee and Mai. "Oh please." The princess rolled her eyes. "You're not the only one who cares about Zuko and learned a few signs here and there."

"He's in the Earth Kingdom. On his way to Ba Sing Se I believe. If we go and capture him, it'll change how Father sees you. He'll have no choice but to respect you. All of you. And I'm sure once you prove just how capable you are, he won't give a damn if you move your hands to speak." Azula grinned. "What do you say? Are you in for a field trip?"

Zuko looked at his sister, lost for words. If this was his chance for his father to respect him, he had to take it. If he, a deaf man, brought the Avatar down, it could change everything. It'd be the greatest show of strength since Fire Lord Sozin began the war. He silently nodded.

"If he's in, I'm in too." Mai said and signed simultaneously.

Azula's grin turned into a genuine smile as she pulled her brother in for a hug. "I'm doing this for you, Zuzu. I want father to know what a strong and capable heir he has. It absolutely breaks my heart for him not to accept you. But if we capture the Avatar, he'll have no choice but to accept you with open arms."

Mai interpreted the whole thing. Though it was a bit difficult to see given the tears starting to fill up in Zuko's eyes.

"Thank you, Azula." He signed once she released him from their brief hug.

Mai started to voice his signs but was cut off once again.

"I know what he said. He's my brother after all."


End file.
